Dublin students win prestigious award

The all-Ireland final of the Microsoft 'Imagine Cup' 2010, held at the Dublin Institute of Technology, saw the first prize going to DIT students Nikola Nevin and Marco Castorina for their project 'Imaginote' - a music and physical therapy application using Soundbeam technology.

The presentations were made by Minister for Trade and Commerce, Billy Kelleher TD, and Managing Director of Microsoft Ireland Paul Rellis. The competition received 600 entries from across Ireland, and the adjudicators emphasised that the standard had been exceptionally high.

The final stage saw twenty finalists whittled down by the judges to just five. Each of the five were then given a further opportunity to 'sell' their idea through a five-minute presentation. Bryan Duggan, School of Computing, said: "After two days of intense presentations in Microsoft's Campus and in DIT, Team Imaginote were announced outright winners....a fantastic achievement for the students. Their projects have huge potential for further development and are a great example of how technology innovation can change lives - and the world." DIT's John Gilligan added "it's a great boost for what we are trying to do here and further vindication of the great technology that is Soundbeam".

Nikola and Marco will now go on to represent Ireland at the world Imagine Cup finals in Poland in July.